Court jails 49-yr-old carpenter for trafficking in prohibited drug
By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has sentenced a 49-year-old carpenter, Ademola Oke, to eighteen months imprisonment over drug trafficking.
The convict was arraigned before Justice Ayokunle Faji, on November 1, by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on a two-counts charge bordering on illegal deal in prohibited drug. He had pleaded guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor. Mr Korinjo Aondofa, had then reviewed the facts of the case after his arraignment, and had tendered several documents in support of his case.
Some the documents tendered included: a request for scientific aid form, a packaging of substance form , statement of the convict, bulk of the substance, a transparent pouch, amongst others.
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He, had then urged the court to convict and proceed to sentence the defendant based on his plea and evidences of prosecution before the court.
The court, had accordingly, convicted the defendant as charged.
During a plea for mercy, the convict had begged the court to show mercy on him as he is a father of six children.
The defence counsel had also prayed the court to tamper justice with mercy on the convict, as he is a first offender, adding that he has shown remorse and will turn a new leaf.
Justice Faji, had consequently, deferred the sentence and ordered the remand of the convict at the Nigerian Correctional Service. He adjourned the case until November 8 for sentencing..
Delivering his verdict on Friday, the court noted that the convict, 49, is a father of six children and had been unlawfully selling drugs for the past six years as a means of livelihood.
Consequently, the convict was sentenced to a term of nine months imprisonment on count one, and nine months imprisonment on count two.
The court held that the terms of imprisonment shall run concurrently from the date of arrest.
According to the charge, the convict committed the offence on August 13, at the Iyana Ishashi area of Ojo in Lagos.
He was said to have dealt in 181grams of cannabis and 4.48 grams of Metephetamine, both categorised as prohibited narcotics similar to cocaine and heroine in the NDLEA schedule.
The offence contravenes the provisions of Section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act Cap N30, Law of the Federation, 2004.